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12/18/2003 Archived Entry: "First WCOB Global Title Fight in welterweight division"
First WCOB Global Title Fight in welterweight division
by Kris Van de Velde
The first WCOB Global Title Fight will be contested in the Belgian town of Izegem on its traditional Christmas boxing show. Local welterweight star and big puncher Jackson Osei Bonsu meets French dangerman Fabrice Colombel for the honours over ten rounds. The rights to stage this inaugural WCOB bout were bought by the Flanders Boxing Association at the start of December.
Besides the World Cup competition, which has been running for nearly two years now, WCOB earlier this year developed three additional initiatives in its attempt to promote the sport of boxing, by giving incentives to boxers and by making it more accessible again for a mainstream audience. Promotional rights can be bought for annual (!) WCOB World Championships, WCOB Continental Championships and WCOB Global Title Fights. All three remain closely linked to the WCOB ranking formula and ranking criteria.
What is a WCOB Global Title Fight?
The WCOB Global Title is not a world title. It is a prize and stepping stone for fighters who should meet the following criteria to be eligible:
* More than 10 professional fights * More than 50% of these fights should be victories, unless the fighter is ranked in at least one official WCOB total ranking (= top 100), released in the current calendar year. * Participants should have won at least one fight in the preceding or current calendar year.
The winner of a WCOB Global Title Fight is automatically qualified to defend the title within a period of six months. That's the only requirement he has to fulfil. Perhaps even more interesting for the Global Titleholder is his direct qualification for a Continental Championship - if he and/or his promoter desire to follow that route. In case of Colombel and Osei Bonsu, that implies a WCOB European Championship opportunity (more details see below).
Considering the relatively low cost of staging a WCOB Global Title Fight, smaller promoters now also have the chance to organise a meaningful fight for their fighters and set out a plan for the medium to long-term, of course following the criteria WCOB imposes. The initiative ought to result in good and interesting match-ups for everyone involved, including the audience.
That is certainly expected of the confrontation Osei Bonsu vs Colombel. The Belgian has developed into a great crowd pleaser thanks to his explosive style and iron fists. The 22 year-old is 13-1 (11 INS) and his last six fights all ended within three rounds. Jackson, as he is commonly called, suffered the only defeat of his pro career against Frenchman Abdel Mehidi exactly one year ago. The Belgian, with roots in Ghana, blamed that loss to a severe cold that plagued him the days before the bout. He was keen to take revenge, but Mehidi (#76, v52) injured his elbow on training and is replaced by Fabrice Colombel (#74, v58 at 140 lbs). Certainly no easier task for Jackson, as Colombel can set an equally gruelling pace as Mehidi. Moreover, Colombel punches harder and has beaten decent European opposition in his pro career, which currently stands at 16-8-2 (10 INS).
What follows is a brief description with some of the key features of the WCOB Continental and World Championship fights.
WCOB Continental Championships: Boxers who wish to contest a WCOB Continental Championship in a certain weight division can qualify themselves if they meet at least one of the following requirements:
* The boxer is ranked in the top 75 of that division's starting ranking of the current calendar year and has had at least one bout in the current or preceding calendar year. * The boxer holds the WCOB Global Title in that division, unless he has lost a fight since he won the title. * The non-qualified boxer defeats a qualified fighter in the current calendar year. The winner takes over the qualification so that the defeated boxer loses his qualification for a Continental Championship. In the event of a draw between a non-qualified boxer and a qualified boxer, the first boxer will earn a qualification.
WCOB World Championship: Key features for qualification: * Only boxers ranked in the top ten of the WCOB starting ranking of the current calendar year are qualified, and they must have had at least one bout in the current or preceding calendar year. * Holders of Continental Championships, unless they have lost a bout since winning the Continental Championship. * A non-qualified boxer defeats a qualified boxer in the current calendar year. The winner takes over the qualification so that the defeated boxer loses his qualification for a World Championship. In the event of a draw between a non-qualified boxer and a qualified boxer, the first boxer will earn a qualification. * Annual, but the World Champion has the option of making voluntary defences.
WORLD CUP OF BOXING http://www.worldcupofboxing.com/
